After year lost to injury then poor season in minors, Montero remains on radar
PORT ST. LUCIE — The Mets refuse to give up on Rafael Montero.
Once a promising prospect, the 26-year-old righty is trying to show team officials he can throw strikes this spring and be counted upon to provide minor league depth, either in the rotation or bullpen.
Montero split most of last season between Double-A Binghamton and Triple-A Las Vegas. For the latter he was 4-6 with a 7.20 ERA in 16 appearances.
“I was a little bit lost, but even down in Double-A I was working hard,” Montero said Wednesday.
Montero made his major league debut with the Mets in 2014, but spent most of the following season on the disabled list with shoulder discomfort. Last year, Mon- tero walked 40 batters in 80 innings for Las Vegas.
“The stuff is still there,” Las Vegas pitching coach Frank Viola said. “It’s just confidence.”
Montero has looked “great” early in camp, according to Viola, throwing his fastball in the 92-94 mph range, and his changeup remains an effective pitch that is perhaps under-utilized.
“The best part is there’s no pressure on him right now,” Viola said. “Nobody is talking about him, so he might be able to sneak back through the backdoor, and be nice and relaxed and hopefully that
will get him going again.”
Zack Wheeler had a promising bullpen session, throwing breaking balls for the first time and taking “a real big step forward,” according to manager Terry Collins.
The right-hander incurred elbow discomfort last week, causing team officials to give him extra time between throwing sessions. Wheeler, who missed the last two seasons rehabbing from Tommy John surgery, could be in position to pitch in the second week of Grapefruit League action.
Travis d’Arnaud said MLB’s new rule maki n g intentional walks automatic by a signal from the dugout will change the game.
“Didn’t a wild pitch happen last year on an intentional walk?” d’Arnaud said. “I see how it speeds up the game, too. We’ll see how it plays out in the spring.”